


Pause

by crescent_gaia



Series: Person of Interest: Alpha/Omega AU [7]
Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Gen, Spoilers for return.0
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-24
Updated: 2016-06-24
Packaged: 2018-07-18 00:53:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7292923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crescent_gaia/pseuds/crescent_gaia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John slips into the subway during a break to ask the Machine a question.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pause

John walked into the subway, coming to a stop as he just listened. He knew for a fact that Harold had a class right now, so he was more listening for if Root and Shaw were around. When he realized they weren’t, he walked in and Bear came over to him. He smiled and petted the dog for a moment before throwing a ball for him. There was a small bit of worry – he would rather Finch take the dog with him for some sort of protection – but he tried to let it go. Instead, he stood in front of the Machine.

‘ **You just have to ask if you want something.** ’

“I know,” Reese said quietly. “Find Harold for me?”

The Machine took a moment before showing Harold teaching his class. Before even needing to ask, the Machine panned the room, showing a few interested students and one sleeping in the back. The rest of the small class size looked a mix between bored and not understanding but no killers in the mix.

“Thank you,” Reese said.

‘ **Do you need anything else?** ’

Reese looked behind him, thinking he heard the door open, but relaxed as he was just hearing things. “Our arrangement. Is it still in place?”

‘ **Why wouldn’t it be?** ’

Reese smiled. “Just making sure. Don’t know how much you lost in what happened.”

‘ **I didn’t lose anything, and, if I did, it would have been from short term storage. I gained knowledge from what happened.** ’

Reese sat down. “How?”

‘ **I learned that father doesn’t hate me but would rather do anything to help me. That I am stronger than even I thought I was. And that he’ll be safe, even if I’m unable to look out for him.** ’

“As much as he’ll let anybody protect him,” Reese pointed out. “I doubt that Finch ever hated you. He has regrets, yes, but that’s different.”

‘ **Is it? Sometimes it seems the same coming from him. But you do know him better than I do when it comes to emotions.** ’

Reese was about to retort when the door opened and Bear went running over to Shaw. He got up, coming out to see it was just Shaw. “Where’s Root?”

“Mission. She says the next one, she’s going to need my help, so I’m doing background. What are you up to?”

“Didn’t have anything else to do,” Reese said. “Got wires crossed about times for Finch’s class,” he lied. If Shaw knew it was a lie, she didn’t say anything for or against it. “What sort of missions is she doing?”

“Irrelevants that the Machine wouldn’t bother us with,” Shaw said, pulling up a record for a drug dealer. “Like this guy. Turns out that he’s cornered the market on suppressants in trying to clean up his life. Don’t tell Finch about this one, it’s a bit of a surprise, since his stopped working.”

Reese kept his opinions about Finch on suppressants to himself for the moment. “You’re alright with her being on them?”

“Aside from the smell? Yes,” Shaw said. “I stopped being able to tell her what and what not to do a long time ago. You should realize the same thing with Finch before someone else beats you to the punch.”

“Halfway there, so he’s got a bit of protection.” Reese looked up at the Machine, who had a split screen up, keeping the alphas up to date on where their omegas were. “Times I wonder if it can hear our thoughts.”

“Root says not yet,” Shaw said and grinned. “We were talking about them, Machine assumed we wanted to know where they are, so pulled them up. It’s getting easier and easier too. It’s also paying people through Thornhill again.”

“Good to know,” Reese said as his phone rang. He answered on the third ring. “Riley.” He raised an eyebrow as he listened. “I’ll be right there,” he said and hung up. “Duty calls.”

“Need backup?”

“No – Fusco just wants me at a crime scene,” Reese replied, walking out and going back to his day job.


End file.
